So you’re a regular visitor to Australia, hitting popular spots like Fremantle Market in Perth, Melbourne laneways and Sydney’s Bondi beach so often you could be a guide yourself. But travelling is all about discovery, so maybe it’s time to venture past the tried and true into new territory.

If you are a self-proclaimed foodie, Australia’s cuisines are worth exploring as they offer a unique glimpse into the country’s diverse and vibrant food culture. Whether you like splashing out on a chic restaurant helmed by a celebrity chef, enjoy the fruit of the good earth in the form of farm-to-table dining and minimal intervention wines, or prefer your meal to be a culturally rich deep dive into Indigenous culinary traditions, Australia has everything — and more.

Here are the trendiest tables to book yourself and your crew a coveted spot for your next adventure Down Under.

Watch this video for some travel inspiration 

Victoria: Tuck into Indigenous cuisine and flavourful wellness fare

Victoria prides itself on the quality and vibrancy of its culinary scene, with Melbourne as the jewel in its crown. Gourmands will rejoice to know that celebrated Australian chef Adam D’Sylva is helming a new restaurant, Lollo at the W Melbourne. Here, he curates seasonal fusion menus that reference his Italian-Indian heritage, such as red duck curry served with snake beans, and fresh rigatoni pasta tossed in a spicy vodka sauce.

Just a hop away at Federation Square is Big Esso Mabu Mabu, the second restaurant opened by Torres Strait Island-born Nornie Bero. You won’t find a better showcase of Indigenous cuisine anywhere else — we recommend the green ant martini, ginger-poached periwinkle sea snails and fried crocodile with saltbush.

A celebrity chef plus destination dining will draw diners out to Thyme at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, a new restaurant at the seriously stylish wellness complex on the Mornington Peninsula. Well-known restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter Karen Martini strikes the fine balance between healthy and indulgent, with dishes like zucchini fritters with grilled halloumi and Skull Island prawn toast with yuzu and lime pearls, sure to satisfy the “relaxed but ravenous” vibe of her clientele.

New South Wales: Soak in sweeping skyline views while you dine on a celeb chef’s menu

Fans of Salt Grill in Singapore will definitely want to try Luke Mangan’s newest dining experience in Sydney, New South Wales. Luke’s Table is an intimate feast for up to 20 guests, featuring a set menu utilising the finest local ingredients. It takes place at the Pylon Lookout of the 87m-tall Sydney Harbour Bridge ensuring a feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach. 

Venture out of the city for a farm-to-table dining experience at The Rockley Pub in the small Central Tablelands town of Rockley. Chef Matt Moran returns to his roots, using ingredients from his own family farm nearby to craft gastropub classics such as chicken schnitzels, beef burgers, pumpkin ravioli and fish and chips.

Wine aficionados who don’t want to miss out on Hunter Valley should head to Vinden Wines. Helmed by second-generation winemaker Angus Vinden, this estate enables you to explore beyond the usual big names and try out some of the most interesting drops in New South Wales, like the estate’s Semillon, Shiraz and Tempranillo. Book a tasting at the Cellar Door (AUD 15 per person (SGD 13.91) for 45 minutes) which overlooks the vineyard and winery, and has both indoor and al fresco seating available.

Tasmania: Taste award-winning wines and forage for fresh truffles

Tasmania’s cooler climate means that it produces distinctly different wines from the rest of the country. Go on a wine tour of Freycinet Vineyards on the Freycinet Peninsula to taste award-winning five-star wines fully produced at their estate. The Rose wines are particularly outstanding. Or head to Stoney Rise, a cellar door known for a suite of minimal intervention, cool-climate wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, accompanied by tasty snacks and gorgeous views out over Tamar River.

If you’re looking for a hands-on experience, The Truffle Farm Tasmania provides a unique experience by allowing you to hunt for truffles with the farm dogs (AUD 170 per person for two hours). Later, you can enjoy the fruit of your labour with truffles shaved over cheese pizzas and/or farm style lunch platters of fresh Tasmanian produce and local wines.

Queensland: Enjoy a smorgasbord of tastes in one sitting and an immersive Indigenous dinner

Your need for variety will be satisfied at Eat Street Northshore, located by the Brisbane River in Queensland. With bars, restaurants, market stalls, and street food eateries featuring dishes from all over the world, you can feast on everything from prata to paella, tacos to teppanyaki.

Love Greek food? Make a beeline to the West End in Brisbane. Your tastebuds will not be able to tell the difference here with the excellent quality of Greek restaurants in this neighbourhood — try the moussaka at Little Greek Taverna, swordfish at Nostimo, The Greek Club and souvlaki at Lefkas.

For something completely different, we recommend signing up with Mandingalbay Ancient Indigenous Tours for a three-hour, four-course outdoor dining event called the Deadly Dinner. It’s a traditional owner-led experience at a culturally significant site, and allows you to enjoy Aboriginal dance and music as you savour dishes such as, green ant salmon gravlax, seared Queensland scallops, and barramundi in banana leaf.

South Australia: Book a private dining experience and embark on a food trail

More than 30 years of experience have culminated in Sean Connolly’s outpost in Adelaide’s Sky City, Sean’s Kitchen. It’s a mix of simplicity and sophistication here as you’ll find comfort foods like burgers and mac and cheese right next to caviar and Waldorf salads. Book the Chef’s Table dining experience (AUD 250 per person for up to six guests), to enjoy a seasonal four-course tasting menu, with matched wines, personally cooked and served to you by their chefs.

Born with adventurous tastebuds? Make the trip to Prairie Hotel in the Flinders Ranges & Outback to nosh on emu egg omelette and camel sirloin. Or get in some exercise to balance out the indulgence with Life’s An Adventure, a walking adventure company that has crafted a three-day tour through Clare Valley. You’ll enjoy rambles through picturesque landscapes, tastings at cellar doors, lunches at wineries, visits to vineyards and farms, as well as degustation dinners at award-winning restaurants and stays at charming country retreats. 

Western Australia: Elevate your cellar-door experience and visit a mod-Mexican cantina

The largest Australian state is prime wine country but instead of heading to the well-known estates, you might want to turn to Blind Corner for some of the best organic and biodynamic wines in the Margaret River region. You’ll find traditional varietals like Shiraz and Cabernet but also new blends like Orange and Petillant. 

For something a little more novel and exclusive, head to Gralyn Estate, also at Margaret River. This award-winning winery and vineyard started a private tasting of museum wines dating back to the 1980s – in a secret cellar door — just last year.

Back in Perth, the dining scene has been enhanced by the opening of La Condesa in Subiaco. This mod-Mexican cantina strikes a balance between traditional and modern, offering mushroom quesadillas, chimichurri beef short rib and miso eggplant tacos, along with a selection of authentic 100 percent agave tequila and mezcals from across the globe.

Northern Territory: Indulge in authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and wild outback nosh

If you are a fan of Kotuwa in Singapore, then you must head to Ella by Minoli in Darwin. Opened by “flavour queen” chef Minoli de Silva, this restaurant pays homage to her Sri Lankan heritage with dishes like curry leaf snapper and chicken in tamarind coconut gravy. Another Darwin must-visit is Frying Nemo – here you can order classics such as the restaurant’s award-winning fish and chips, or the unconventional, yet tasty crocodile, buffalo, and camel dishes.

Add on to your authentic Aussie experience by signing up for a Kakadu Full Moon Feast. Held in the Queensland outback, this meal allows guests to immerse themselves into the oldest living Indigenous culture through an outdoors four-course First Nations repast that features Kakadu’s seasonal ingredients and the sharing of local stories and traditional music (AUD $149, per adult and $99, per child).

Or dine under the outback sky at the Ayers Rock Resort’s Sounds of Silence experience (from AUD $234, per adult, and $117 per child). The four-hour dinner starts with canapés and chilled sparkling wine upon a dune top overlooking Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’s iconic rock formations. Then enjoy a didgeridoo (wind instrument) performance as you tuck into a specially prepared bush tucker-inspired menu. Round up the evening with a guided tour of the night sky, which is exceptionally clear in that area. You may get a chance to locate the Milky Way as well as planets and galaxies. 

Australian Capital Territory: Go from a casual coffee to cocktail hour seamlessly

Treat yourself to some of the state’s best brews at Ona Coffee House, Canberra, which has been winning international barista championships since 2015. Set up in 2008, this brand has expanded into Sydney and Melbourne, and also supplies hundreds of cafes across Australia with their beans. Since this is the headquarters, you will find at least 25 different coffees to choose from. There are four core blends, a few special reserve single origin options that rotate monthly as well as vacuum-sealed frozen packs for you to grab and go.

After your caffeine fix, you can look forward to a meal at Pilot. One of the most acclaimed restaurants in Canberra, this intimate restaurant boasts a carefully curated wine list and a seven-course degustation menu featuring dishes that are lovingly crafted, to deliver a perfectly paced dining experience for every guest.

Round off the evening with a drink or two at Bar Rochford. Housed in the historic Melbourne Building with its 1920s architecture, this cocktail bar serves up an experience that is as elegant as its exterior. Pick from a list of minimal intervention wines as well as a menu of dishes that are too elevated to be called bar snacks — think potato galettes smothered with steak tartare and toast heaped with white anchovies and capers.

Hungry for more travel inspiration? Whet your appetite with this complete Australian food guide and start planning your itinerary today.

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